1858 Mass Association of Base Ball Players Ad

[aelefson]

Hi-

I acquired the item scanned below a few months ago. It is blank backed and advertises the coming sale of rules that were adopted on May 13 1858. Interestingly, Base was spelled Bass which I assume was a misunderstanding on the printer's part (bass ball would be really difficult to play).

Does anyone have a scan of the 1858 rule booklet this ad references? Has anyone seen any other advertisements for this rule booklet? Please feel free to post anything related to the 1858 rules.

Alan

[base_ball]

Here ya go:

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/graves/townball.shtml

Somewhat unusual ad you have there, a sort of trade card advertising a micro publication. AND it’s an “error ad”. Nice.

[bgar3]

Alan, I love that piece. In addition to the above, these rules were used in the little booklet entitled A Ball Player’s Pocket Companion. This booklet contained rules and tips for both the New York Game and the Massachusetts Game.
It has been found in editions dated 1859,1860 and 1861.

[Case12]

Very cool!

[GaryPassamonte]

Great book, Bruce.

[bgar3]

Thanks Gary, I am having a hard time posting more photos since I just took the photos, but I will as soon they upload. By the way the book is actually George Wright’s copy, with a few notes.
Also “Bass” may not be a typo. There are examples of that spelling very early on, however that is not the spelling used in the book.
I will keep trying on the photos.

[bgar3]

Photos of the section dealing with the Massachusetts Game Rules finally loaded.
Hopefully readable, let me know if any questions. My copy is the 1860 edition, note an amendment and new name.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by bgar3

Photos of the section dealing with the Massachusetts Game Rules finally loaded.
Hopefully readable, let me know if any questions. My copy is the 1860 edition, note an amendment and new name.

My 1860 copy, like all I believe, has a small strip of paper maybe half an inch tall that includes an amended rule sewn into the binding after publication. It's the only time I've seen a rule added that way.

[bgar3]

Alan, I found 2 references to Bass ball in Block’s book, pages 161 and 213.
The first is from a New York newspaper in 1825, and the second is from a New York magazine, The Knickerbocker, January 1850, with Block calling it a “colloquial” spelling.

[aelefson]

Thank you Bruce! I will download the photos and review them soon. I really appreciate everyone's information and comments. It is also interesting to learn about using Bass instead of Base. I do not have that book but will look for it.

Alan

[bgar3]

Barry, that is interesting. Mine does not have that errata slip and both sets of rules say they updated to all changes from the 1860 meetings.
My title page is dated 1860, but is described as the third revised edition. Perhaps there was an earlier 1860 edition with the slip? I know there are copies dated 1859 and 1861 also, but that doesn’t explain third revised edition.

[barrysloate]

Bruce, I just read the description of the 1860 book in REA and it states that the amended rule is missing, and there was a tiny residue left which identified it as excised. It's difficult to know whether there was a first printing in 1860 without the amendment, or due to its fragile nature if it's missing it has fallen out. I just don't know. How could we tell if all the printings were otherwise identical?

[bgar3]

Barry, not sure how to find out other than just compare pages. To add to the mystery, probably only of interest to a very few of us, is that there is a copy on ABE, with a New York, title page from 1860, mine is Boston. Interesting.

[bgar3]

Barry, I should have asked what the amended rule is. If it is in mine in print then mine is a little later.

[barrysloate]

You know Bruce, I just looked and it's not an amendment at all, it's a correction:

ERRATA
Page 13, Rule 17, for seventy tallies read seventy-five tallies.

And the title page reads "third revised edition", so if yours or anyone else's doesn't say that, we can confirm two 1860 printings. If 1859 was the first, and this was the third, two printings for 1860 is likely.

REA's reads "third revised edition."

[Leon]

First time I saw this, today. Very cool.

Sorry, I couldn't have helped with the questions, either.

Originally Posted by aelefson

Hi-

I acquired the item scanned below a few months ago. It is blank backed and advertises the coming sale of rules that were adopted on May 13 1858. Interestingly, Base was spelled Bass which I assume was a misunderstanding on the printer's part (bass ball would be really difficult to play).

Does anyone have a scan of the 1858 rule booklet this ad references? Has anyone seen any other advertisements for this rule booklet? Please feel free to post anything related to the 1858 rules.

Alan